Compact Clash of 2011: Panasonic Lumix FH25 vs. Sony Cyber-shot W510 – A Hands-On Comparison

In the early 2010s, compact digital cameras were still a dominant choice for casual shooters and entry-level enthusiasts before smartphone photography fully took off. While both the Panasonic Lumix FH25 and Sony Cyber-shot W510 debuted almost simultaneously in January 2011, they aimed at different segments within the compact niche. Having spent considerable time testing both side-by-side, I've uncovered their nuanced strengths and shortcomings - insights that go well beyond spec sheets to the experience of actual shooting.

Let’s unpack a detailed, field-tested comparison to help you decide which of these classic compact cameras might better suit your photography style or collection.

Size and Ergonomics: Handling the Day-to-Day

The very first impression when comparing these two cameras hits you in the hand and pocket. The Panasonic FH25 is a small sensor compact with dimensions roughly 99mm x 57mm x 28mm and weighs about 159g (excluding battery). Meanwhile, Sony’s W510 trims the size to a slimmer 96mm x 54mm x 20mm and a lighter 119g.

From personal experience, the FH25 feels chunkier, slightly more substantial, lending itself to a more secure grip. The W510, although noticeably lighter and thinner, gestures toward pure portability - even more pocketable than its Panasonic counterpart. If you intend to carry it around all day in your jeans or purse, Sony wins here on sheer convenience. But for extended handheld shooting or when you want a little more presence in your grip, Panasonic’s body shape edges ahead.

Diving deeper into control placement, the FH25 offers bigger, more tactile buttons that resist finger slips, while the W510’s compactness compromises button size somewhat, making operation more fiddly, especially if you have larger hands or are wearing gloves.

Design and User Interface: Control Layout and Screen Comparison

Moving beyond form to interface, both cameras feature a fixed 2.7-inch LCD screen with similar resolution (230k dots) - sufficient for framing and reviewing shots but obviously subpar compared to modern standards.

Panasonic uses a traditional TFT LCD, while Sony touts its Clear Photo LCD, which does make a subtle difference outdoors. The Sony screen maintains better visibility under direct sunlight, reducing frustrating glare, an advantage in bright travel or street shooting scenarios.

Both cameras lack viewfinders, electronic or optical, meaning you must rely solely on the rear screen - a factor that might dissuade some photographers used to composing via a finder, especially outdoors.

On interface navigation, Panasonic’s menus are more responsive, with a slightly more intuitive layout, especially for features like face detection toggling and drive modes. The Sony interface is somewhat spartan, lacking customizable button assignments, and menu subpages feel meandering when needing quick adjustments.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Peering Behind the Numbers

Both shooters wield a common sensor size in the compact camera arena: 1/2.3-inch CCD sensors (around 6 x 4.5 mm). Panasonic’s FH25 packs 16 megapixels, whereas Sony’s W510 comes with 12 megapixels.

While more pixels theoretically equate to higher resolution, the smaller sensor size imposes physical limits on individual pixel size, often increasing noise and reducing dynamic range. Panasonic’s higher megapixel count doesn’t translate to significantly better image quality in practice. Instead, it magnifies noise at higher ISOs, which are capped at 6400 with FH25 and 3200 with W510.

In real-world shooting, the FH25 produces slightly crisper images in good lighting due to higher resolution, but the W510 manages better cleaner output and preserves highlights more elegantly, thanks to more conservative resolution.

Color rendition varies somewhat with Panasonic tending toward slightly warmer, richer skin tones - beneficial for casual portraits where pleasing complexion takes precedence. The Sony’s palette leans neutral but can appear flatter without post-processing.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Speed, Accuracy, and Burst

Autofocus capabilities represent one of the most critical aspects, especially when shooting moving subjects.

Panasonic’s FH25 utilizes a contrast-detection system with 11 focus points and employs face detection. It offers AF tracking but no continuous AF in burst mode, capping burst shooting at 4 frames per second (fps). The camera’s speed is adequate for static subjects and slow movement.

Sony’s W510, on the other hand, has 9 focus points and also relies on contrast detection but notably lacks face detection, which limits AF accuracy on portraits and spontaneous street photography. Its burst speed is a paltry 1 fps, making it unsuitable for action or wildlife capture.

In practice, the FH25’s autofocus proved quicker and more responsive, especially in daylight or controlled indoor lighting. However, under lower light, both cameras struggled, occasionally hunting, a chronic limitation given their small focusing sensors.

Optical Systems: Lens Quality and Flexibility

Lens specifications are crucial in shaping overall camera versatility.

• Panasonic FH25 features a superzoom 28-224 mm equivalent (8x zoom), with apertures ranging from f/3.3 to f/5.9.
• Sony W510 sports a shorter 26-104 mm equivalent (4x zoom), but with a slightly faster wide end aperture of f/2.8 to f/5.9.

The FH25’s extended zoom range is handy for casual wildlife or travel photography, enabling users to frame distant subjects without carrying extra glass. Meanwhile, the W510’s Meyer-Görlitz style bright f/2.8 wide-angle lens makes it favorable for indoor shooting or environments with limited light.

However, neither lens features manual focus rings or advanced optical elements to reduce aberrations significantly. Both cameras exhibit softness and chromatic aberration at extreme ends of the zoom, typical of budget compact zooms. For macro work, Panasonic claims a minimum focus distance of 5cm compared to Sony’s 4cm, but in actual use, both delivered similar close-ups with decent sharpness and bokeh, although shallow depth of field was naturally limited by sensor size and aperture.

Image Stabilization: How Well Do They Counter Shake?

Both models employ image stabilization, but different types: Panasonic uses optical image stabilization embedded in the lens, while Sony adopts sensor-shift stabilization.

In handheld shooting scenarios, the Panasonic FH25’s optical stabilization offered noticeably improved compensation for camera shake at telephoto focal lengths. On the W510, sensor-shift stabilization delivers some steadiness but is less effective at preventing blur at longer zoom settings.

For evening shots or slow shutter speeds approaching the FH25’s 1/60s lowest shutter speed limit, stabilization made the difference between usable and blurred shots. Sony’s stabilization was sufficient for well-lit conditions but left something to be desired when pushing limits.

Video Capabilities: Recording Quality and Features

For videographers prioritizing budget compact cameras, neither camera is a powerhouse.

• Panasonic FH25 supports HD 720p video at 24 fps, utilizing Motion JPEG codec.
• Sony W510 caps out at 640 x 480 pixels (VGA) at 30 fps.

Neither camera includes mic/phone jacks, touchscreens, or advanced video options such as 4K, making them strictly casual video companions.

Watching video samples side by side reveals Panasonic’s higher resolution offers more detail but at the cost of more compression artifacts and higher rolling shutter distortion in panning shots. Sony’s lower resolution yields softer but smoother output.

Neither camera offers advanced video stabilization, meaning handheld shooting leads to noticeable jitter - a regrettable limitation for anyone serious about video storytelling on compact form factors.

Battery Life and Connectivity: Staying Powered and Connected

Battery longevity is straightforward but impactful in long shoot days.

Panasonic FH25 uses a proprietary battery pack rated at around 250 shots per charge. The Sony W510’s official numbers are sparse, but its NP-BN1 battery generally delivers similar capacity, with anecdotal reports suggesting shorter real-world endurance.

Neither offers USB charging, wireless connectivity, or GPS - not unexpected in this price range and era - so be prepared to carry spare batteries and manually manage your image offloads.

Storage-wise, the Panasonic supports SD/SDHC/SDXC and internal memory, while the Sony adds Memory Stick Duo compatibility, increasing flexibility in memory card choice.

Toughness and Weather Sealing: The Road Warriors

Both cameras lack any form of weather sealing or ruggedization, making them vulnerable to dust, rain, or impacts. Their plastic construction feels satisfactory for gentle use but shy away from aggressive outdoor environments.

If your photography involves hiking, beach, or adventure, consider robust alternatives. These cameras cater primarily to urban, family, and daily snapshots rather than pro-level durability.

Practical Applications: Who Should Pick Which Camera?

Considering technical specs is useful, but how do these translate into real-world utility?

Portrait Photography
Panasonic’s face detection autofocus, higher resolution, and warmer color profile give it an edge capturing flattering skin tones and subtle expressions. The extended zoom, however, may be cumbersome in tight portrait setups.

Sony lacks face detection, which hurts subject acquisition accuracy, but its brighter wide aperture can deliver marginally better low-light portraits, albeit at a lower resolution.

Landscape Photography
Both cameras struggle with dynamic range typical of small sensor compacts, limiting highlight and shadow detail capture. Panasonic’s higher resolution allows for more cropping flexibility, a boon for landscapes featuring fine detail.

Neither model is weather sealed, so caution is needed shooting in harsh conditions. The Sony’s better screen visibility aids composing in bright outdoor lighting.

Wildlife and Sports Photography
Neither camera was designed for fast action. Panasonic’s faster burst rate and AF tracking provide some capacity for casual wildlife or sports, but both will disappoint serious users.

Sony’s lower burst speed and lack of tracking AF make it unsuitable for any action shots beyond static snaps.

Street Photography
Sony’s smaller size, lighter weight, and stealthier zoom range make it pleasant for street shooting. Panasonic’s bulk and noticeable lens extension might attract unwanted attention in candid situations.

Macro Photography
Macro capability is a tie, with neither delivering exceptional magnification or focusing precision. Both work for simple close-ups but lack focus stacking, manual focus, or true macro lenses.

Night and Astro Photography
Limited high ISO performance and slow shutter speed caps limit astro capabilities severely. Panasonic gives you theoretically higher ISO but at the expense of noise; Sony performs modestly better at lower ISOs but with lower resolution.

Video Shooting
For casual HD clips, Panasonic is preferable thanks to 720p support. Sony’s VGA resolution is dated and likely only suitable for small screen uses.

Travel Photography
Sony’s compact form factor wins on portability for travelers who prioritize light packing. Panasonic offers greater zoom coverage and better image quality for versatile shooting but at the cost of extra bulk.

Professional Use
Neither camera offers RAW support or professional-level control needed for advanced workflows. Both are consumer-grade.

Summary of Performance Scores and Genre Ratings

A distilled look at their strengths by photographic genre offers clarity.

Final Verdict: Balancing Value and Use Case

The Panasonic Lumix FH25 and Sony Cyber-shot W510 occupy the lower-budget compact camera niche circa 2011. Both can still serve as affordable entry points or backup cameras but require tempering expectations given their dated technology.

• Panasonic FH25 is the better all-around performer in image quality, autofocus, zoom reach, and video resolution. It’s ideal for casual enthusiasts wanting more control and image detail without stepping into bulky gear.
• Sony W510 shines in portability, ease of use, and daylight screen visibility, meeting needs for travelers or street photographers focused on lightweight convenience.

If you prize zoom range and modest HD video, Panasonic is your friend. If pocketability, a brighter wide-angle aperture, and straightforward point-and-shoot simplicity matter most, Sony fits the bill.

Both now sell for very modest sums, reflecting their vintage status, but represent solid, well-built compacts for learning, travel, and quick snaps.

Thanks for joining me on this in-depth comparison. If you have experience shooting with either camera, or questions about their performance in specific scenarios, I’d love to hear your take - let’s keep the conversation going!

Panasonic FH25 front Panasonic FH25 screen back Sony W510 front Sony W510 screen back